Summary of USPI Member Board & Annual Meeting 2025
On April 24, 2025, USPI members and other interested parties gathered at LyondellBasell's Rotterdam headquarters for the USPI Member Board and to discuss critical issues surrounding data interoperability, standardization, and the challenges faced by stakeholders in the Owner/Operator and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) sectors. The meeting brought together representatives from major companies to share insights.
Introduction by Hugo Belder Hugo Belder opened the meeting by welcoming attendees and presenting the USPI results and business plan. He highlighted the organization's achievements over the past year and outlined the strategic goals for the upcoming period. The introduction set the stage for a productive discussion on advancing data management and standardization within the process industry.
Two new Executive Committee members were approved by the Members Board: John Leeflang (McDermott) and Tudor Ciubotariu (TechnipEnergies).
USPI Finance by Peter Paul Pruijn
Peter Paul Pruijn provided an overview of USPI's financial status, detailing the budget allocations, expenditures, and financial health of the organization. He emphasized the importance of financial stability in supporting USPI's initiatives and projects, ensuring that the organization can continue to drive progress in data interoperability and standardization.
The Members Board approved the financial results for 2024 and the 2025 budget.
Read-out of FL3DMS Face-2-Face Meeting by Anders Thostrup
Anders Thostrup (USPI and Shell) provided a summary of the FL3DMS Face-2-Face Meeting held from April 22-24. He discussed the key outcomes and decisions made during the meeting, emphasizing the importance of FL3DMS in improving 3D model management and interoperability. The read-out highlighted the collaborative efforts to refine the FL3DMS standards and the next steps for implementation.
Tagging Project plan by Jan Jelle Sijbesma
Jan Jelle Sijbesma (Fluor) provided an overview of the tagging project, which aims to standardize tagging philosophy and how tagging is used and managed across different projects. He discussed the timeline for the initiative, including the development of a draft tagging philosophy, engaging potential participants, and creating implementation guidelines. The presentation emphasized the importance of consistent tagging practices to improve data quality and integration.
Presentation on Data Interoperability Standards by Frédéric Gobin
Frédéric Gobin (Project Information and Tools Department Head Paris Operations, TechnipEnergies) shared insights on implementing multiple, complementary data standards enterprise-wide and across projects for various customers. He highlighted lessons learned from these implementations, focusing on the challenges and benefits of adopting data interoperability standards. The presentation underscored benefits achieved within the industry and the necessity for Owner/Operators and EPCs to consistently request and deploy the standards across all the projects.
Panel Discussion
The panel discussion featured representatives from McDermott, LyondellBasell, Fluor, Hexagon, Aveva, and Shell who shared their experiences and challenges in developing and implementing data standards. Key topics included the importance of collaboration between EPCs, owner-operators, and software vendors, the need for standardized data management practices, and the role of training and competence development. The panelists emphasized the need for practical solutions and effective communication to drive improvements in data quality and integration.
The panelists were:
- Alexis Thorne, LyondellBasell, Senior Director Global Projects Development, Strategy & JVs
- Anders Thostrup, Shell, Principle Technical Expert Data Standards
- Ronnie Westerhoven, Fluor, Manager of Engineering
- Fons de Wit, McDermott, Senior Information Manager
- Kai-Uwe Cohrt, Hexagon, Executive Director Solution Design
- Markus Hermann, Aveva, Senior Manager Presales
Many thanks to the panel who shared openly their experiences and needs.
Key Takeaways
- Standardization: There is a strong emphasis on the need for standardized data management practices and the development of comprehensive implementation guides to ensure consistency across projects.
- Collaboration: Effective collaboration between all stakeholders, including EPCs, owner-operators, and software vendors, is crucial for improving data quality and integration.
- Training and Competence: Investing in training and developing competent personnel is essential for successful data management and implementation of standards.
- Operational Efficiency: Defining clear use cases and operational scenarios can help improve safety and efficiency in maintenance and service management.
The USPI Annual Meeting 2025 highlighted the necessity to remain addressing the data interoperability in the process industry. By fostering collaboration and investing in competence development, the industry can achieve greater efficiency and safety in its operations.
To download the materials of the USPI Annual MB meeting 2025 go here
Read more about the FL3DMS meeting...